


when every door is closed, there is one more

by dedougal



Series: what I need to know [2]
Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-09-14
Updated: 2014-09-14
Packaged: 2018-02-17 08:51:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,694
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2303849
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dedougal/pseuds/dedougal
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It takes Tyler some time to realize what being a dad is really about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	when every door is closed, there is one more

**Author's Note:**

> This fic was originally called baby cockblock but I wanted something more about Tyler learning to be a dad - or perhaps realising that being a dad was more than just about blood. It really is shameless fluff.

1\.   
They were making out on their couch in their living in their house. It was a celebration, a moment stolen to mark the fact they were completely moved in. No more boxes to unpack or pictures to hang, no more gear and stuff in friend’s garages or parents’ attics. This was their house and Tyler knew he had to show Jamie just how much it meant to him. Hopefully the lazy kisses they were trading, mouths open and slick, would progress to more active nudity, to Jamie’s amazing cock being available to Tyler for all his nefarious plans.

He fucking loved Jamie’s cock, loved sucking it, loved feeling it split him open _so good_. Tyler had been working towards coming just on Jamie’s cock for a long time and he thought they were probably a couple of good solid fucks from it actually happening. He could wait out the urge to come for longer and longer each time, after all. All it took was practice.

He was tracing the lines of Jamie’s neck, biting on his jaw and explaining all this when the baby monitor crackled. 

Jamie froze beneath him and Tyler used the solidity of Jamie’s body to push up and look at the red flashing lights. They increased in tempo and velocity along with the wailing coming through the radio.

“You cook and I’ll get the kid?” Tyler bumped his nose against Jamie’s delighting in the grin he got in return. Partly it was because Jamie was stupid in love with his baby and Tyler knew how he felt. He knew he shouldn’t be feeling this happy being this domestic but fuck it all. No one but him had to know.

“You grab our kid and change his diaper and I’ll even make dessert.” Jamie lifted his hips up and Tyler wished that Zach hadn’t picked just then to wake up. He loved it when Jamie used his strength to haul him around, fuck him good. Regardless, he dropped a kiss to the end of Jamie’s nose.

“Make it brownies and ice cream and I’m in.” Tyler was already moving, reluctantly. As he made his way up the staircase (because, their house had this awesome staircase which he might have slid down the bannisters of, you know), he was aware of Jamie padding into their kitchen. He grabbed Zach, listening to his babbling and kissed the tip of his nose too.

“We gonna get you changed and we’re going to get you a bottle. Then we’re gonna watch some hockey and you’re going to let Daddy and Uncle Tyler christen our new house a bit, deal?” Zach obviously couldn’t understand him, but he quietened down all the same, fixing one of his hands in Tyler’s t-shirt. His face was red and it felt hot when Zach pressed his face to Tyler’s shirt. “That sound good to you?”

“I think he just wanted to hang out.” Jamie was leaning against the door when Tyler turned around, surprised. Zach squirmed a little as Jamie came closer, wrapping his huge arms around them both. “Got bored up here. Gets that from you, obviously.”

“What?” Tyler leaned back against Jamie’s chest, only half paying attention.

“You like it when you’re hanging around people, you know. You like being social. Not like me.” Jamie pressed a kiss to Zach’s fluff of hair and then made a face. “He stinks.”

“We got interrupted.” Tyler poked his elbow into Jamie’s stomach, gently. “Zach probably got that from his mom.”

Jamie’s face was doing something complicated when he stepped back, heading back to the kitchen. “I’m going to let Marshall out, okay?”

“Sure.” Tyler got Zach set up on his changing station, practiced hands making peeling the onesie easier than it had been. Zach was busy chewing on his own fingers while Tyler got him all sorted out, another unpleasant task made easier with practice. He was making stupid faces to entertain Zach when he realized how Jamie might have taken his brush off.

“I’m going to teach you the best things. You gotta get good habits from your dad like cooking and looking after people. I’m going to help you talk to people and, like, learn how to throw a baseball.” Tyler ran his hand over Zach’s head. “But we’re going to teach you to skate together.”

Behind him, the baby monitor flickered red.

 

2.  
“Say bye bye to Grandma, Zach.” Jamie waved Zach’s tiny fist in the direction of the tablet screen, propped up on the fruit bowl. Tyler came around to say hello to Jamie’s mom but his own mom was waving back to Zach. She had a pile of toys beside her.

“Hi, Mom.” Tyler gave his own wave. He wondered if he should grab his iPad and head for the living room to talk when Jamie stood up. It would look weird if he headed out now. Tyler slid into Jamie’s seat. “How’re you?”

His mom filled him in on all the usual family goings on, his sisters, his cousins. Tyler nodded and tried to pay attention, but again Jamie had caught him off guard. His mom knew he was distracted, but he only tripped up properly when she asked him the same question twice and he only responded with a vague hmm.

“Tyler!” Tyler snapped his attention back to the screen. Over it, he could see Jamie laughing at him. “I wanted to know if you had a guest room or if I should stay in a hotel when I come down next month.” His mom was laughing at him, so he had obviously not screwed up too badly.

“Here. You can stay here.” Tyler flicked his eyes up to check. 

Jamie nodded before coming back over to lean beside him. “Your mom can watch Zach while we interview nannies. If she’s okay with that?”

“Love to. Zach and me can go to the park!” His mom’s voice took on a very similar quality to the one she had when talking to Marshall when she thought no one was listening. It seemed to work on Zach, who made a sound Tyler reckoned meant he was happy and agreeing. It was better than the time he’d cried for what seemed like four days solid because of an ear infection.

Jamie and his mom ended up talking about strollers while Tyler looked between them. 

 

3.  
Tyler was pretty used to Zach by now. Being as he lived with him and all. He just wasn’t used to Zach and the rink mixing, that was all. He wasn’t sure what Jamie wanted him to do either. It wasn’t like they brought the kid to work all that often but the nanny had a family emergency and it was this or one of them stayed home. And the team couldn’t really deal with that.

Jamie carried him in and kept holding him as Tyler got dressed and the rest of the team pretended they weren’t complete assholes and cooed all over Zach. Which, well, Zach was pretty awesome even when he got grumpy and hid in Jamie’s arms.

Once Tyler was ready, Jamie came over and thrust Zach at him. Tyler wrapped his arms around Zach automatically and supported his head. But his brain was whirling uncomfortably. The only thing he could compose himself enough to say was, “Um.”

“Why don’t you take him out on the ice? It’ll be quieter than in here. Smell better.” Jamie pressed his hand against the bare bit of Tyler’s neck above his practice sweater, a solid, cool settling touch.

Tyler looked down at the kid who had stopped grumbling and was grabbing for his collar. Zach liked holding on, whether it was fingers or clothes or whatever. “It’s his first time.” 

“I’ll be out in a bit and can take over then.” Jamie rolled his eyes. “This way I can get some pictures.”

There were a thousand things wrong with the whole idea of Tyler being the first one to take Zach on the ice. But he just nodded in the face of Jamie’s implacable resolve and carried Zach through the hallways, more aware than he’d been in years of the unsteadiness of skates. Pushing out on the ice, though, was always satisfying. The feel of sharp blades cutting in on a fresh surface was something that had kept Tyler skating even when he’d felt like giving up.

Holding a baby was different from holding a stick, he knew, but there was still something of the same thrill. Or maybe it was because it was Zach, who seemed to be enjoying the whole process. At least, he wasn’t screaming. Tyler settled the tiny hat Zach was wearing even more securely on his head and picked up a bit of speed, heading in a lazy loop around the rink. Occasionally he dipped and turned and Zach would squeal but it was all happy and comfort. A warm, bubbly sensation was running through Tyler’s veins.

“This is why you’re a proper Canadian. You love the ice, right?” Tyler was murmuring nonsense now, explaining how skating worked and how they would get Zach skates just as soon as he could walk and he could play with pucks and he’d have an awesome jersey because they made ones with his name on them and they were the best jerseys because they had a C on them and did Zach know what that meant? That was for the best and smartest player on the team. Just like his daddy.

“Does he like it?” Jamie was skating close, snapping pictures on his phone. 

“Were you just making me do this in case he puked or something?” Tyler pretended to scowl but his usual giant grin wouldn’t stay tucked away for long. “He’s awesome. Likes it when you go fast, right?”

Jordie skated up, his phone in hand too. “And are you planning to hand him over to Jamie any time soon? We need to get practice going.” 

Tyler looked around and sure enough, most of the team were out, skating their own lazy loops and doing stretches. “Sorry.”

“Nothing to be sorry about.” Jamie handed Jordie his phone and reached out to transfer Zach to his side. Then he nodded at Tyler. “Grab my phone and take a few pictures? Then we can drop this tired boy off at the home bench, where he’s going to fall asleep and be awesome for his baby sitter.”

Tyler laughed. He loved the way Jamie’s voice dropped into a soft, sweet and low drawl, almost, when he talked to Zach. He knocked their helmets together, looking down at Zach, before reaching for Jamie’s phone.

“I’ve got it,” Jordie told him, snapping another picture. They all ended up skating over to the bench together, slow and even, and Zach really was dropping off when they slid him into his car seat. The intern from the press office tugged the blanket over as Jamie watched.

 

When Tyler handed Jamie his phone later, off the kitchen counter, he found a new photo on the lock screen. It was the three of them on the ice, a snap by Jordie obviously. Tyler took a moment to admire the way Jamie’s hands looked enormous around Zach’s tiny body.

“So,” he drawled as he handed over Jamie’s phone. “How asleep do you think Zach is?”

“He’s out.” Jamie looked away from the TV, gave Tyler a once over, then widened his sprawl on the sofa, making his shorts tighten over his thighs. “Why?” There was no way that Jamie didn’t know exactly what Tyler was asking so he didn’t even bother answering. Tyler just tugged his shirt over his head and dumped it on the floor before dropping to his knees. Then he had to get up again when Jamie hauled him close and into a kiss, Tyler sprawling across his lap. Maybe this was better.

“I wanted to do this with you on the ice,” Jamie gasped. 

“What? This?” Tyler rolled his hips. “We were probably a bit too clothed.” 

Jamie pulled back, although his hands were firm on Tyler’s side. “No. Kiss you. You have no idea what you looked like skating with Zach.”

Tyler knocked his forehead against Jamie’s, smiling. “I want a copy of this picture.” He tapped at Jamie’s phone. “Because we look like a family.”

“Babe, we are a family.” Jamie looked like he wanted to say more but Tyler focused on getting his shirt off. Naked time had become drastically limited since Zach dropped into their lives and Tyler wasn’t in the mood for any more conversation.

 

4.  
The ER doctor took one look at Zach and showed them into a private room. 

“He fell.” Tyler swallowed around the fear that seemed lodged in his lungs. “He was on the swings and he fell.” Zach’s left arm was at an angle Tyler knew wasn’t good. He’d driven straight to the hospital, summoning Jamie as he went, testing every speed limit and cursing every stop light.

“What’s his name?” The doctor pointed to the bed and Tyler laid him down gently. Tyler had tear tracks trailing down his face but he wasn’t crying anymore.

“Zach.” Tyler hooked the chair beside the bed closer and perched on it so he was closer to Zach’s level. “Hey, buddy.”

“Are you his father?” A nurse came in with a clipboard and hovered, uncertainly.

“He’s on his way.” Tyler winced as the doctor moved Zach’s arm and Zach let out a sharp cry. “Shouldn’t be long.”

“I’m going to need to ask you to go to the waiting room.” The doctor was sympathetic but firm, and Tyler slowly got to his feet. Zach grabbed hold of his arm and looked up with huge eyes. Sometimes, when Zach did that, Tyler was convinced he’d taken lessons from Marshall.

“It’s okay,” Tyler said, leaning down to press a kiss to Zach’s forehead. “Dad will be here soon.”

“But-“ Zach looked at Tyler pleadingly. Lying on the adult sized exam bed, it was all too easy to remember that he was only a tiny kid, for all the fact he was taller than most of the other kids his age.

“What relative are you to Zach?” The nurse was drawing him away, her hand insistent on his elbow. Behind them, the doctor introduced herself and asked him to wiggle his fingers for her.

“I’m his dad’s partner.” The words felt strange in Tyler’s mouth. He’d almost said center but that wouldn’t have made any sense here. Most people they were around either knew about their deal or didn’t need to know. The pre-school had accepted him as an emergency contact without quibble. But to actually tell a stranger what he was? That was new.

“So you can fill in some of the details?” She proffered the clipboard and Tyler took it, scanning the paperwork. He knew the answers to pretty much everything. He fished around in his pocket for a pen and hauled out a Sharpie. The nurse handed over a biro instead. He leaned on her station and kept his eyes on both the door to the room Zach was in and the main entrance.

Jamie was running as he came in, people scattering out of his way. He caught sight of Tyler almost immediately. He hugged Tyler hard and it was only when they were pressed chest to chest that Tyler realized Jamie was trembling. 

“He’s in there. I’m just dealing with the paperwork.” Tyler nodded to the nurse who led Jamie through the forbidden door.

 

Tyler was dicking around on his phone, catching up with emails and playing stupid flash games when Jamie and Zach came out. The chairs in the waiting room were playing havoc with his hip and he was glad to see the pair of them, even though Zach’s arm was encased in green plaster.

“Hey, I recognize that color,” Tyler told him, standing up. Zach hugged him before going back to Jamie’s side.

Jamie picked Zach up, holding him close. “You ready to head out?”

Tyler led the way, opening doors. Neither Jamie or Zach were saying much so he didn’t either. It was only when they got to his car that he realized a problem. “Where’s your car?”

“I took a cab.” Jamie helped Zach strap into the back before sliding in beside him. “You good to drive?”

Zach perked up in the car, chatting about how his cast would match all his t-shirts and he needed to dress like, “You, Daddy. And Ty Ty.” 

“Not like Uncle Jordie?” Jamie teased. Tyler felt himself relax as they got further and further away from the hospital. He even giggled at Zach’s vehement repudiation of anything connected with Jordie.

 

When they got into the house and Tyler had trapped Marshall in the back garden, they all sat down in the living room to make a fuss over Zach.

They were in the middle of Finding Nemo (for the thousandth time), when Zach turned to Tyler. “Why couldn’t you stay with me?”

“At the hospital?” Tyler carefully slung his arm across Zach’s shoulders. “Because I’m not legally your dad. Like, officially.”

“But you kinda are.” Zach’s voice got very quiet and Tyler felt like an enormous douche. He looked at Jamie who shook his head, obviously not knowing how to deal with it either. Tyler frowned. He and Jamie had conversations about wills but never really done anything about it.

“If you’d like, I can talk to your dad about that.” Jamie was looking between Zach and Tyler. 

Zach seemed to think about it before nodding. “Can I keep calling you Ty Ty though?” 

“Always.” Tyler hugged him close before turning them back to the screen. “Hey, look! Time for sea turtles.”

 

5.  
The Benn family liked to throw parties that were a hell of a lot more classy than the parties Tyler used to throw. Even the ones he and Jamie threw for their team mates tended more along the ‘lots of meat and loud music and booze’ lines than this. The tablecloths weren’t wipe clean, either, unlike most of the parties Tyler had been at recently. 

Jamie was dancing with Zach in the middle of the floor. They’d compromised on music under duress and had a string quartet during the ceremony and the meal and booked a DJ for later and it couldn’t have mattered less. Tyler didn’t even think he’d eaten more than a few mouthfuls of his food, too busy speaking to people he never had enough chance to see. He could have asked his friends to play but then they wouldn’t be kicking back with the champagne and cake with him.

Zach came running over, his eyes shining and his cheeks bright red. Tyler reckoned he probably had another half hour in him and began to wonder if his mom was going to keep her word to take him off their hands. Tyler had lost track of her but he had very definite plans for tonight.

“Ty Ty! Come dance with me!” Tyler caught Zach up into his lap and introduced him to the guys again. Most of them had come round when he was just a new kid but hadn’t really done much more than drift in and out of Tyler’s life with more infrequency. He had responsibilities that went beyond playing hockey and seeing his bros, after all.

The music changed to Beyonce and Tyler gave in to Zach’s pleading look. There was something fun about keeping it within the bounds of taste and decency as he bounced along with Zach. The floor was pretty busy, with relatives, friends, team mates. It made Tyler wonder why he hadn’t done this earlier, because nothing about it felt weird.

“Hey, hey.” Zach was tugging at his pants and Tyler swung him up onto his good hip. Zach was getting a little too big for this but it was cool. “You’re properly my other dad now.”

They’d explained that getting married was part of it but so were the adoption papers that their lawyers had picked over as well. Zach had seemed like he understood everything, but he liked that the party made it official, just as he liked the rings on Jamie and Tyler’s hands. Tyler guessed that Zach had got his love of doing everything properly from Jamie. He liked to think that Zach had got his sense of mischief from him, especially when it was directed towards other people and it was hilarious.

“I sure am.” Tyler knew someone was snapping a picture of them but he didn’t care. He was even happier when Jamie came up and joined them, wrapping one arm around both of his boys. Zach wriggled free at the end of the song to go find one of his grandmothers and Jamie smoothly plastered himself against Tyler. “Subtle.”

“I stood up today and spoke in public voluntarily.” Jamie shuddered. “I think everyone knows I’m hot for you.”

“Even though we’re old, married and have a kid.” Tyler didn’t pull away. If anything, he tried to get even closer.

“A kid who is staying with his grandma tonight so I can enjoy the fact I’ve got a brand new husband all by myself.” Jamie shamelessly groped Tyler’s ass and Tyler could hear the hoots and hollers from all around.

He flipped the bird at the crowd which only increased the racket. Tyler smiled into the kiss Jamie hauled him into. “We can get started on that now, right?”

“Fuck, yeah.” Tyler still took his time to head around the room one more time, hand firmly wrapped in Jamie’s. By the time they got to Zach, he was drooping in Tyler’s mom’s lap. They kissed him on the forehead before slipping out of the ballroom and heading for their room. The noise of the party slowly drifted away until it was just them and silence and a locked door.

Tyler had said it a million times before, but when he pulled Jamie close and whispered, “I love you,” it felt like it meant more. He’d done it properly, as Zach would have it.


End file.
